Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pam Jenoff
Historical Fiction
336 Pages
I don’t know where to start. I am sitting in my comfy chair with this story still floating through my brain.
I am not much of a nonfiction reader. I do like historical fiction about certain topics. The Holocaust is one of them. My mind can’t comprehend the atrocities that such a huge portion of society lived with or died from. How did so many accept what was happening to those around them? How did so many get drawn into the same mindset as Hitler?
Although fictional, The Woman with the Blue Star gives a snapshot of what some did to survive. In this case, it was living in the sewers, depending on others to keep their secret and provide food.
Short Synopsis
This book focuses on two girls who became friends when one sees the other while walking past a manhole. They start to secretly talk through a manhole. The chapters jump back and forth as we hear the story from both girls‘ perspectives.
Ella lives in a fancy house with her nasty stepmother. She has food and clothing, but is lacking love. Sadie lives in the sewer with her pregnant mother and another family. She is lacking in all of her needs, except for love.
Ella decides to help Sadie as much as she can, bringing small amounts of food when she visits. Sadie is thankful for the food but even more thankful for the friendship.
I won’t say more as I won’t spoil the ending. If you are a nail biter, be prepared to chew those suckers off, especially through the last few chapters.
My Thoughts
Pam Jenoff wrote this story in a way that makes it real, emotional, and heart wrenching. The characters crawled into my life and will stay there forever. Their feelings are raw, their strength intense, and their fight to live strong.
The story begins and ends in the present time. The story from the past comes in between. There are certainly some unexpected events that provide a real shock to the system.
Although this is a sad topic, it is a book I couldn’t put down. Pam spoke as Sadie and Ella by writing this story so expertly. I read a note she wrote in the back of the book saying she turned The Woman with the Blue Star in to her editor and they agreed she basically needed to start over. That must have been tough but was so worth the extra effort. It is so well written. It is a story that will stay with me forever.
